Performance evaluation of plant microbial fuel cell with Epipremnum aureum plant using composite anode made of corn cob and carbon rod

ABSTRACT

The search for renewable energy sources has led to the development of plant microbial fuel cells (PMFCs). In this study, Epipremnum aureum plant species was used to generate bioelectricity in a PMFC, demonstrating the synergistic effect of corn cob and carbon road on the power generation and plant growth in PMFC. The maximum voltage output of PMFC with the composite corn cob and carbon rod anode was 465 mV which was 367 mV potential higher than the PMFC with the carbon rod anode only. The maximum power density obtained was 6.75 mW/m². The results suggest that the use of corn cob has improved the biocompatibility of PMFC. The design of PMFC devices has been developed to increase power output which will be the next step of this research.

KEYWORDS:

• Plant
• MFC
• bioanode
• bioelectricity
• corncob
• biocompatibility

Acknowledgments

The authors wish to express sincere gratitude to Kashi Institute of Technology, Varanasi and Manipal University Jaipur, Jaipur for providing research facilities; and to the Material Research Centre facility at MNIT, Jaipur for support in the FTIR and other procedures.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).